As part of getting our very new road club up and running, we’re thinking about organizing a trial for early 2012.

We have an offer of a start point with parking nearby, but that’s about it.
If we sorted a good 100K route, and wanted to charge a fiver tops what would you expect in return?
Minimal waymarking (can you just put up arrows without authorisation?)
Photocopied route map with emergency number.
Timing. Very basic colour coded time/start card that’s just signed off at the finish. I.e you start in 1/2 hour time slots and you just hand your card in at the end to be marked.
Maybe we should just charge £3 to justify it’s basic ‘grass roots’ style.
Could do with any input, as I’ve been asked to try and make this happen.

insurance
risk assessment
notify the local authority of your “event”
carefully worded sign on sheet
ask permission for signage

I would contact the local authority “cycling officer” as they may well be able to assist

parking
toilets
cafe/ refreshments

etc

Minimal waymarking (can you just put up arrows without authorisation?)

I just used that spray marker paint that the utilities companies use and marked the turns on the tarmac itself

Haven’t a lot of experience to draw from, but based on the 2 reliabilities I have done I’d say decent waymarking and a route card would keep me happy.

First one started and ended from a pub, they offered a free pint or bacon sandwich at the end. Nice, but I wouldn’t expect it.

edit: can’t remember how much they charged, was around the £5 mark though and not really a big deal.

any reliability trials ive done ive turned up paid my money

followed the sheep round the nice roads came back to the start and ridden home.

things i would be miffed at –

routes that take in lots of A roads
routes that take in lots of busy B roads
Flat routes

its more about the social aspect of the ride than the “what do i get for my 5er”

The route would start from Liscombe Park a large privately owned equestrian and business centre with a large gym, it’s the gym that’s offering the start.
It would head out straight into the Brickhills and into the Woburn area, so hills right away. Then settle into the flater areas around Cranfield and Beds villages before heading back into the hills south of Woburn.
I was thinking of just using arrows with the clubs initials on them to mark turns. Years ago they were’nt marked at all.

ive never ridden a marked reliability trial …..

Oldgit

We tend to offer 2 routes (sometimes 3 if there is going to be a lot of newbies ) .

A 70 miler ,50 mile and a 30.
We don’t sign the routes ,but give out maps and there are minders that go along to make sure no body gets left behind .
We start and finish at a hall so that there can be tea and cake at the end. Most of the clubs round our way do the same and some of them offer a mountain bike run (which I am going to do for our one next year).

If you do nothing else ,make sure there is cake at the end . 🙂

For a fiver I’d expect clear markers on route (people are more stupid than they used to be with regards to navigation), a map/route card and somewhere to refill water bottles marked on said map. These days it might be an idea to make gps files of route available beforehand. Wouldn’t cost you anything beyond a bit of time and would make navigation easier for those with units. Also a well thought out route, back lanes, quiet roads, the sort of route that locals would know about but that visitors might take a few trips to find.

Anything else is a bonus. Food at the end of the route (not included in £5), either local cafe or some sort of catering would be handy.

EDIT:
If the gym is making changing rooms available that would count as a bonus.

Most reliability trials are unmarked. It’s effectively an open club run – chance for possible new members to come along, meet the club, a bit of a social at a steady pace. The whole point of it is to prove that you can do the distance ready for the (club) racing season to start hence they’re usually done in Jan – March. Usually each run (often 3 groups: one at 16mph, one at 15mph, one at 14mph or similar) is lead by a recognised club senior who knows the route (or who can make one up on the spur of the moment!), avoids the need to mark a route out.

You’ll need separate insurance cos standard club insurance doesn’t cover it. You can register/insure the event with BC using the downloadable Event Registration Form HERE.

Ideally end at the cycle club room (if you have one) or a village hall/hired pub room/cafe whatever for a post-ride tea, cake and chat. One unwritten rule is that there is no sprinting for town signs, no caning off the front, it stays together in (smallish) manageable groups.

HTH

Regarding the signposting, we attach Control Point markers to fixed objects for trailquesting.
I can’t remember the exact law, but it’s something like the local highways department has to serve you with a notice to remove any marker attached to their property or stuck in to their grass verge, you then have 28 days to comply.
I think it’s pretty much the same if it’s attached to private property, such as a telegraph pole or fence.
In reality, that means stick them up on Friday or Saturday and take them down on Sunday evening or Monday and you’ll be OK.

If your club is affiliated to CTC, they will be insured for events of up to 200 riders including up to 6 non club members.
That’s from memory, so best check it first before relying on it.

The only reliability rides I did were really unofficial races; they were off road events designed to introduce the cross season and prepare for the 3 peaks. No markings, no organisation, just turn up and set off at a pre-arranged time. The unofficial status allowed us to ride on bridleways without bothering about the no racing rules.

It appears that the line between Sportives, Audax and reliability rides has blurred; I think it’s up to you how you do it.

You might just want to make sure that you don’t clash with the established West London/ Chilterns rides as otherwise you run the risk of a disappointing turn out.

There’s no need to mark the route as that means someone has to spend the whole of the day before putting up arrows then most of the Sunday afternoon taking them down. Just have a clear route card and maybe a gpx file.

Okay for £3 a decent 100km route. Unmarked but with route map and GPX file. Good off road parking. Food at finish and possibly changing might appeal to ‘club’ riders?

TBH my memory is like yours crazy legs, ride to start get in time group and set off staying together. They were like an amnesty amongst rival clubs before the season.

So what’s the difference between a reliability trial and an audax?

You could organise a round of the FNSS for next year, venues already in place 🙂

So what’s the difference between a reliability trial and an audax?

Mainly a set route, no check points or info controls. No hard and fast rules on speed as in Audax.
In theory you need very little. You look at the route usually on a map at the start. Decide if you can do it in an 18MPH/15MPH/12MPH group and set off in the group of your choice. As it’s not a race, going by the time on the clock on the wall at the finish is good enough.

That and you rarely see people in SPD sandals at RTs.

So what’s the difference between a reliability trial and an audax?

In the bigger distance routes it morfs in to a flat out race near the end 😉

I’ve nutted out a route that takes in some of the popular bits in the area and a few landmarks.
If you know the place it gooes out through Wing, under the @Great train robbers bridge’. Ivinghoe Beacon, decends into the villages on some fast flat country roads. It then hits the Brickhills taking in two more climbs. Then through Apsley Heath (Woburn for those that MTB there) Apsley Guise, two ore three more Bedfordshire villages. Then through Woburn Abbey Deer Park. Then I’ve got a 2 mile A road stretch that passes Woburns jump site. Then the home run up Bow Brickhill – killer! then a dash past Wobrun golf club, cross the A5 bridge, brickhills and decend down to the Three Locks before hitting Liscombe Park.

I have to ask, there will be some right turns, one bypass crossing and one 2 mile stretch of (nice) A road. How would you feel about that?